brianvc__I take offense to your unwarranted coments about the "cuba thing". I am a cuban born, US citizen, US Army veteran, and an practicing attorney for the past 26 years in Miami, and I seriously doubt that you have done more for your country than I have. It is obvious that you have fallen victim to the Castro Propaganda, and have not taken the time to research why there is a travel ban to the communist island nation. Our government has not taken an "Illegal Position" as you stated, quite the contrary, there are laws enacted by our Congress and ratified by our President that address our policy towards Cuba. If you dislike lobbying groups, maybe you can write to your congressman to see if something can be done about them, and while you are at it, don't forget to mention the Pro-Castro lobby, the Insurance lobby, the NRA lobby, the Jewish lobby, the NAACP lobby, the American Medical Association lobby, the Tobacco Industry lobby, and so on, and so on, for like it or not, there are all part of our Democratic form of Government.
With respect to your comment about the willingness on the part of cuban officials to not stamp your passport, in my humble opinion you may be inciting people to break the law. A rather Un-American thing to do!!!
Sincerely Esq.




[This message has been edited by esq (edited 10-19-2000).]

can't we all just get along!!!!!!!!!!

Nicole, et al. I think I am guilty of not clarifying my opinions. This bad attitude towards life and others is not BECAUSE the person is black. All races are involved within this lifestyle. and I have known black africans in Spain who know nothing about all this gangsta stuff and who are among some of the most humble people on the earth. So it comes easy to say it's the BLACKS who are doing this because most of the people you see in this lifestyle are blacks (even though there are others). I have nothing against black people at all. But a few of them that behave badly put fuel to the fire regarding generalizations though, you have to admit that. So instead of saying blacks I should use more words to describe the attitude. But when the majority of the people you're describing are black the definitions get similar.

Leche

I think you just cannot compare the US and Spain and ask Americans to behave here as in Spain- Spain is a much more homogenous society, and then, it is one thing to ask people to adapt to the customs of a country they are visiting and quite another to ask people who have been living here for generations, like African Americans and Asian Americans, to behave as the mainstream expects them to do. Some postings sound as if the "standard" for America was the way of life and the expectations of the white population, but does not that imply that it would somehow be more the country of the white population than that of the minorities? Don't minorities have an equal right to shape this country's culture?
Sevilla, in your first posting you mention your appreciation of the Asian communities in the US and you say "they are very respectful to Americans". I am sure you did not mean it in a bad way, but this statement implies that Asian communities here are Asians and not Americans. I have close friends who were engaged in the Asian American movement and this is exactly what they told me what really hurts them- the assumption that they do not really belong to this country. Like people asking them: How come you do not have a Chinese accent? Where are you from, I mean, where are you REALLY from? and they were born in this country, as were their parents, and always felt to be Americans. And Leche: why do you mention that in Africa people do not act like African Americans? Why should African Americans behave like Africans? Why would "their" culture be African culture?

Can you really blame African Americans for trying to assert an own identity in view of a history of discrimination and even segregation? And why would there be an unevitable link between rap culture and aggressivity?
As long as there is still racial profiling, injustices in the criminal system, unequal distribution of poverty and opportunities, lack of diversity in positions of power etc., I guess tensions will remain between the different racial groups. And admitted that there are a lot of whites who are equally not well off, there is a history of injustice against minority racial groups, and I guess it takes much time and effort to get over it. Surely, it requires efforts from both sides, but it still seems weired to me to put the blame on the minority groups in the first place.

[This message has been edited by connie (edited 10-19-2000).]

"Can you really blame African Americans for trying to assert an own identity in view of a history of discrimination and even segregation?"

I don't think the rap culture kids were around before and during the 60's. They are now perpetuating their own sad stereotype.


"And why would there be an unevitable link between rap culture and aggressivity?"

You must be joking Connie!!! Have you ever seen MTV??? The rap culture is about acting like you are better than everyone, easy women in thong bikinis who are substandard and objectified by these types, and flaunting money drugs and violence. These "artists" treat women especially terrible. Referring to your girlfriend as your woman, your lady, or your [censored] is not acceptable in my book.

Asserting your own identity is fine, but behaving like an uncivilized animal is not. I think you will find that's why alot of us are here on this board, because we don't like what we see around us here in the USA and Spain is a much more attractive option.

Leche


[This message has been edited by Leche (edited 10-19-2000).]

I am an immigrant, I have an accent,I look very nordic, I home school 3 kids, I am mostly stay home dad. My wife works outside home full time,well paid (which is a good thing).Totally reversed stereo types.
People of all backgrounds,races etc find the fact that I am stay home dad and especially the fact that I home school 3 kids much more "wierd" ,unusual,than the fact that I am from a differnt background,culture etc.
I think that racism is what we ,people , make it to be in our own minds.No country has exclusivity on it!!

Leche, my question about rap culture was a sincere one, I am curious, I really do not know it closely enough to make a judgment since I am into classical music anyway and never watch MTV and I do not live in this country long enough to have a proper opinion about it. I think that when they play it in Europe, we Europeans from the continent (Maybe the Brits and the Irish feel differently because English is their mother tongue as well) do not usually perceive it as a particularly violent style of music, something conducive to aggressiveness, but I guess most non-native speakers never listened to the texts. And even if you listen to it, the nuances are difficult to grasp. Of course, I understand that to call your girlfriend your [censored] is humiliating, but I would not get that referring to your lady or your woman has a similar connotation.
I just thought an aspect of it was that it helped groups which are partially disadvantaged to feel better about their own identity and value themselves more.
Anyone wants to defend rap culture?

[This message has been edited by connie (edited 10-19-2000).]

[This message has been edited by connie (edited 10-19-2000).]

Ever checked out the heavy metal videos that started the whole thing - plenty of half naked women on those videos too.

I do think that a lot of rap has elements of misogyny that I strongly disagree with. There is also a lot of rap that doesn't (KRS 1, Lauren Hill, LL, Will Smith, etc), and the same kids are listening to those artists too. My Dad always makes comments about rap music, which might actually be a pertinent opinion except that he has never actually listened to the genre at all ( I used to complain to him about making me listen to country music inthe car, but with great horror, eventually realized that I actually like some of it. I bought my first Dixie Chics CD this summer).

There is a lot of rock, movies and tv shows that are demeaning to women. You don't have to call a woman a [censored] to demonstrate that you have no respect for her or her role in society... Misogyny is not the exclusive domain of rappers. Go to a battered woman's shelter, or rape recovery house some time and you will see that.


[This message has been edited by Nicole (edited 10-19-2000).]

Nicole...seems you have an uncanny ability to apply my comments on something that I was not referring them to. Of course there is machismo everywhere...but it seems to be an important component of the rap culture especially.

Leche

I understand what you are saying. I am also trying to present you with examples that demonstrate otherwise, because I do not fully agree with you. Machismo is a strong component of rap. so is social change. Listen to public enemy. I have not, since folk music in the vietnam era, heard a full album of American music with such a strong political and social message for change... Listen to Lauren Hill's album - pretty strong female empowerment material.

There are differences within rap/ hip hop - themes of competition (who the best rapper is), having a good time (Kis n Play is an example of just out right, innocent fun), and drugs ("Country Grammar") and sex (Lil Kim) - depending on who the performer is. There are the same differnces in pop and rock. Christina Aguilera was only, what, fifteen, when she was singing about needing to be "rubbed the right way."

[This message has been edited by Nicole (edited 10-19-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Nicole (edited 10-19-2000).]